Improvement in hog-traps



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N. PETERS. PHOTO-LITHDGRAF be raised and lowered by UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIGE.

JAY THATOHEB, OF ALTONA, AND GEORGE L. THATOHER, OF ELMWOOD, ILL.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOG-TRAPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,434, dated January 14, 1879 application filed November 27, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J AY THATCHER, of Altona, county of Knox, and State of Illinois, and

GEORGE L. THATOHER, of Ehnwood, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hog-Traps; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hog-trap embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

This invention relates to hog-traps of that class in which the hog stands upon a hinged platform 5 and the invention consists, first, in the method'of connecting the pivoted platform with the hinged clamping-bars, so that raising the platform will separate the clamping-jaws,

, and lowering the platform will force the jaws toward each other.

The invention further consists in lugs on the clamping bars so constructed that as the clamping-bars are separated they will act on the latch to press it outward, so that it may swing into its locking position.

The invention further consists in details of construction and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings by 1ettersthe same letter indicating the same part in the different viewsletters A represent the sides of an ordinary approach to a hog-trap, and B B posts, one to .each side A. The posts B are connected at their upper ends by parallel bars 0, and at their lower ends by parallel bars D. E is a platform or bottom between the sides A, and is hinged at 0, so that its end E may a lever, P, or lowered by the weight of a hog standing on the platform. G G are the clamping-bars, pivoted or hinged at their lower ends between the bars D, so that their upper ends, which are betweefi the bars 0, may be approached toward, or receded from, each other, the limit of their approach being regulated by a block, g. H H are levers, their outer ends pivoted to the posts B, and their inner ends forked and resting, one against each clamping-jaw G. Each jaw Ghas a bar, I, parallel with, and attached to, its outer edge, and so placed that as the lever His raised the fork on its inner end will impinge on the bar I, and draw the jaw G outward at its upper end. When the levers II are lowered, the forks on their inner ends will press the jaws G toward each other.

J J are rods connected at their lower ends with the free end of the platform E, and at their upper ends, one to the central portion of each lever H, so that raising the platform E will separate the jaws G, and lowering the platform will force them toward each other.

K K are vertical bars, connected by a horizontal bar, K, and together constitute the lock or latch, suspended by a link, L, at each side from plates M, attached to the posts B, so that the bar K rests against'the jaws G. N N are lugs, one on each jaw G, their confronting sides projecting at right angles from the jaws, and their outer sides inclined, as shown at Fig. 1 of the drawings. When the trap is closed, as shown at said Fig. 1, the bar K rests below and the bars K exterior to the lugs N but when the jaws G are separated the bars K rest between and against the lugs N, as shown at Fig.2 of the drawings, and thus serve as a lock to hold the jaws G apart.

P is a lever, pivoted at p to one of the bars D, and connected at its inner end by a link, d, to the free end of the platform E.

In operation, the platform E is raised by means of the lever P, and as the jaws G separate the inclined sides of the lugs N act as cams against the bars K, press them outward, and allow the lugs N to pass, so that the bars K may, by gravity, drop between the lugs N and hold the jaws G apart, as shown at Fig. 2 of the drawings. The hog, pressed forward 011 the platform E, thrusts his head through between the jaws G, below the bar K, and in doing so strikes the bar K, and pushes it from between the lugs or detents N, which releases the jaws G, and his own weight on the platform E will force the jaws upon his neck and secure him for ringing, shouting, or any desired purpose. Raising the platform E by the lever I? will release the 110g and again set the trap, as hereinbefore described.

The latch K K may be fixed at different heights for animals of different heights by adj ustin g the links L in the series of holes m in the plates M.

What we claim as new is- 1. In a hog-trap, the hinged levers H, arranged to operate with the clamping-jaws G, rods J, and hinged platform E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The hinged levers H, arranged to operate with the clampingjaws G, bars I, and hinged platform E, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The gravitating-latch K K, arranged to operate with the clamping-jaws G, having detents N, with confronting faces at right angles to the jaws G, and with the tilting platform E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The gravitating-latch K K, arranged to operate with clamping-jaws G, having detents N, with confronting faces, substantially as described.

5. The gravitating-latch K K, arranged to operate with the clamping-jaws G, having de' tents N, With their outer edges inclined, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The clamping-jaws G, having detents N, constructed as described, and bars I, in combination with latch K K, hinged levers H, rods J, and hinged platform E, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. The lever P, in combination with the hinged platform E, jaws G, rods J, levers H, bars I, detents N, and latch K K, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JAY THATOHER. GEORGE L. THATOHER.

Witnesses:

H. A. ALLEN, B. R. RICHARDS. 

